Rocket launcher, breech guard and contactor latch



Aug. 12, 1958 R. A. DOAK, JR., ETAL 2,346,924

ROCKET LAUNCHER, BREECH GUARD AND CONTACTOR LATCH Filed Aug. 28, 1953 2 Sheets-sheaf; 1 :ET' l 35 J 34 INVENTORS. RIJLEF'IZADCIBKLJIL 5.? Luis H. Garza v 2.? BY 25" I 4144600 Aug. 12, 1958 'R. A. DOAK, JR, E TAL 2,846,924

ROCKET LAUNCHER, BREECH GUARD AND CONTACTOR LATCH Filed Aug. 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 States Patent Tex., ass'ignors to the UnitedStates of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Application August 28, 1953, Serial No. 377,267

1 Claim. cuss-4.7

This invention relates to an improved breech :guard and contactor latch mechanismfor 'certan launchers to replace standard parts having functions corresponding to parts of the present invention.

Heretofore, breech guards adapted for use'withcurrent launchers of the type for which the instant invention is intended, did not present a smooth and continuous surface with the breech end ofthe launcher .tube towhich the breech guard is secured. :Because of "the-exposed tube end, the possibility of an accident'always existed due to some part of a rocket engaging-:the flat. face on the launcher tube which lies perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the launcher.

It is therefore aprimary objectof this .invention to provide a breech guard and contactor latch assembly mountable upon the breech end-of a launcher tube to provide a smooth and continuous surface with the launcher tube bore. i

It is also an object of this .invention to provide a breech guard and contactor latch assembly adapted to fit launcher tubes having different diameters within specified tolerances.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a contactor latch and breech guard assembly capable 'of quick and easy mounting and assembly on the breech end of a launcher tube.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a contactor latch and breech Iguard 'assembly in which the latch blade includes an upwardly inclined concave inner surface engageable by the nose and surface of the rocket in loading, to facilitate such loading.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a breech guard and contactor latch assembly which may be easily and economically constructed as by stamping and welding.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent as the following description develops, reference is made to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention mounted upon the breech end of a rocket launcher tube.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken along lines 22 of Figure 4.

Figure 3 is a cross section taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a top plan view, and

Figure 5 is an exploded view of the invention.

Referring to the drawing wherein like reference characters have been used for like or similar parts in the several views, reference character 1 designates the breech end of a launcher tube upon which is mounted the contactor latch assembly 3 and breech guard assembly indicated generally as 3a. Referring particularly to Figures 3 and 5 the breech guard assembly comprises a breech guard 5 having a cylindrical portion 7 split as at 9 to provide a tight though ready fit about the rear end of the launcher tube, as clearly seen in Figures 1, 2 and 4. The split 9 permits application of the breech guard as- 2 sembly to launcher tubes of varying diameters within specified tolerances. Integral with the-cylindrical portion 7, thebreech guard is-provided with a rearwardly' and outwardly tapering or flared section 11, having its outer'end beaded or'flanged as at -13'to provide'a smooth finish in the well known manner. A substantial-portion of the upper surface'of flared portion 11 is 'cutout as'at 1 5 to permit the movement therethrough of a latch'blade to engage the rocket as later to be described. Also-integral With and extending forwardly of'and continuous with the upper surface of the cylindrical portion 7,- 'the breech guard is provided with a tab 17,-to which in turn is integrally secured a semi-cylindrical segment 19, adapted to fit about the upper half of the launcher tube. The ends of segment 19 are flanged horizontally out wardly for a short distance as at 21 and-are then turned downwardly then upwardly t'o'f'orm U-shaped support sections 23,25, the uprights of U-section 23 being provided with alined'holes 23a, 23b, whereas the-uprights of U-section 25 are provided with alined" holes 25a, 25b. As clearly seen in Figure 2, the cylindrical section 7 of breech guard 5 'meets the outer peripheral surface-of tapering portion .11 adjacent'and a short distancerearwardly of the small diameter end'thereof to form a shoul der. 27 with a'perpendicular face 29 adapted-to engage a mating face 31 of the rearward'end of launcher tube 1 when the breech guard is in place, to thereby "form a smooth innersurface at the'jointureto avoid accidental engagement'with anrabutting surface of a rocket tobe loaded into the launcher.

Referring again to Figure 5, the contactor latch assembly 3compn'ses a'main stamped out body portion 30 having a flat upper section 33 and downwardly andoutwardly inclined sections 35 and 37, which in turn'terminate in vertical rectangular sections 3011,32. Integral with flat upper section '33 are a forwardly extending reduced portion 34 provided with-a rounded end '36 and a rearwardlyextendingrectangularly-shaped reduced-pom tion 39 provided with a rectangular and downwardly extending struck out portion 41 with its lower 'en'd43 adapted: to abut the upper surface or breech guard cylindrical portion 7 when the parts are in assembled order, esclearly seen in Figure 2.

- The peripheral edges of main body portion 30, except for the free ends of vertical sections 30a. and 32, and the forwardly and rearwardly reduced portions 34 and 39 are struck downwardly to form a flange 45, and to the outer faces of vertical sections 30a and 32 are secured, as by welding, rectangular pads 47, 49 provided with holes 47a, 49a which in assembled condition, with each pad disposed adjacent the outer surface of its corresponding U-support on the breech guard assembly, are adapted to aline respectively with holes 23a, 23b and 25a, 25b to receive respective pins 51, 53 held in place by cotter pins 51a, 53a, disposed within the uprights of each U (see Figure 3), so that pads 47, 49 and pins 51, 53 cooperate to provide a horizontal pivotal axis for the contactor latch mechanism. To the rear face of flanged end 45 of rectangular portion 39 there is secured a contactor latch blade assembly 55 comprising a forwardly disposed flat upright rectangular section 57 integrally joined with triangularly shaped side sections 59, 61 to the lower ends of which is secured a forwardly and downwardly inclined member 63 having an arcuate concave face 65, and forming with sides 59 and 61, and upright 57 a contacting surface movable through out out section 15 of the breech guard as the contactor latch assembly is made to pivot, to engage notches on the fins of and to hold a loaded rocket in place until it is fired.

The forward end of forwardly extending reduced portion 34 is provided with a vertical hole 67 into which 3 is received a short downwardly extending stud 69 (see Figure 2). A helical spring 71 has its upper portion secured to the under surface of reduced portion 34, and surrounds stud 69, while its lower end is secured to the upper peripheral surface of the launcher tube 1, wherefore spring 71 urges the contactor latch assembly counterclockwise, and the latch blade 63 into rocket engaging position. A brass shunt strip 73 with one end engaging stud 69 of the contactor latch assembly and the other end secured to launcher tube 1, provides a grounding of the rocket to the barrel for the completion of the firing circuit (not shown) in the well known manner.

The combined breech guard and contactor latch mechanism is secured to the launcher by any suitable means such as by riveting or preferably by welding, as for example by applying a filler weld to secure the forward end of cylindrical portion 7 to the launcher tube. The device is simple to mount, and effective to firmly secure a rocket in place in the launcher until the rocket is fired. In loading, a rocket is pushed nose first into the launcher tube, with the nose first engaging the concave underside of the latch blade 63 to urge the contactor latch clockwise. Because of the smooth joint between the guard and tube end, the rocket may be pushed home surely and confidently without fear of accidental engagement. When the rocket is in place the spring 71 urges the contactor latch counterclockwise and the latch blade into firm position in notches provided for the purpose in the rocket fin assembly, wherefore the rocket is held firmly in proper position until fired.

As is clearly evident from the above description, there is set forth a contactor latch and breech guard assembly which may be economically and easily constructed by stamping or welding, easy to install, simple and effective, to provide a secure latching means and a breech guard fitted to a launcher tube so as to provide a smooth, continuous inner surface between the guard and the tube. The assembly disclosed, illustrated and described however, is merely exemplary, and other modifications to the structure are obvious and may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the subjoined claim.

We claim:

In combination with a rocket launcher tube, a breech guard assembly comprising a cylindrical portion adapted to fit concentrically about the rear end of said launcher tube and a flared outwardly tapering rear portion integral with said cylindrical portion and forming therewith a shoulder adapted to lie in abutting engagement with the upright face of the rear end of said tube, the inner surface of said flared portion forming with the inner surface of said tube a smooth, continuous surface at the jointure of said flared portion and said tube, a forwardly extending tab integral with said cylindrical portion and terminating in a semi-cylindrical segment adapted to encircle a corresponding portion of said launcher tube, there being U-shaped supports formed at the opposed ends of said segment, a contactor latch mechanism pivotally mounted upon said U-shaped supports and comprising a flat body portion adapted to overlie the upper surface of said launcher tube adjacent the rear end thereof, downwardly and outwardly inclined sides integral with said fiat body portion, and forwardly and rearwardly extending flat reduced portions integral with said body portion, a vertically disposed pad secured to each opposed end of said downwardly inclined sides, each said pad adapted to lie adjacent a respective U-shaped support, there being radially alined holes formed in said U-shaped supports and said pads for receiving a pivot pin, a latch blade secured to the rear end of said rearwardly extending reduced portion, said blade having a downwardly and rearwardly inclined arcuate concave face movable through a cut-out section formed in the flared portion of said breech guard, said face having an inclination normally parallel to the inner surface of said flared portion, and resilient means engaging the forward end of said forwardly extending reduced portion, and the upper surface of said launcher tube for urging said latch in rocket engaging position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,442,386 Uhl June 1, 1948 2,460,929 Goff Feb. 8, 1949 2,465,402 Skinner et a1 Mar. 29, 1949 2,496,316 Skinner et al Feb. 7, 1950 2,742,820 Brown et al Apr. 24, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 284,458 Switzerland Nov. 17, 1952 

